IP TAKE:Local environments in Southern California have been of huge interest to this funder for a while. However, transitioning foster youth is a strong new interest for Pritzker.

PROFILE: The Anthony Pritzker Family Foundation (APFF) is one of many foundations run by members of the Pritzker family. This one is devoted to strengthening institutions in Los Angeles. The foundation is based in Los Angeles and keeps the majority of its grantmaking here.

Anthony (Donald Pritzker’s middle son) engages in local philanthropy with his wife, Jeanne. Anthony is a partner at the Pritzker Group and has an estimated net worth of about $3.4 billion. This Pritzker’s philanthropy stands out because it’s not centered on Chicago, like that of many of the other family members. Grantmaking interests are education, environment, foster care, medicine, and community.

For education, APFF mostly supports UCLA to help the public university excel in academics, athletics, research, and diversity. Environmental support is broadly centered on preservation of the natural environment; medical grants promote research, patient care, and scholarships. The environment has been one of the funder's main causes: Anthony has served on the board of Heal the Bay, an environmental group in Santa Monica. In the past, this Pritzker foundation has been interested in urban sustainability, as well.

Community grants from APFF often have a Jewish angle, helping children and families access Jewish institutions. L.A. arts groups, colleges, private schools, and local Jewish organizations also see APFF’s support.

The foundation launched the Pritzker Foster Care Initiative in 2014 to accompany its other four areas of interest and support transition-age foster youth and the families that provide them with homes. Grants made as part of this initiative address issues like emotional wellbeing, technological innovations, and financial independence.

Past support has gone to the UCLA Institute on Environment and Sustainability, the Alliance for Children’s Rights, Foster Care Counts, and Wilshire Boulevard Temple. Other grantees are Heal the Bay, Think of Us, and Mattel Children’s Hospital. Check out the funder’s website and scroll to its Research and Press section to see recent interests. Issues addressed here include child welfare, surface water storage in California, and use of technology to help children.

Unfortunately for grantseekers, unsolicited grant requests are not accepted. The foundation employs an executive director, Winnie Wechsler, and a couple program assistants, Lauren Nichols and Jennifer Yi. General questions can be directed to the staff at 310-575-9400 x1161 or info@ajpff.org. The foundation’s mailing address is 11150 Santa Monica Boulevard, Suite 1500, Los Angeles, California 90025.